Tibetan culture is an exotic flower of Chinese national culture. As an important part of Tibetan culture, Tibetan clothing culture has a long history, colorful and unique charm. As a group live in the Roof of the world, Tibetan clothing conveys not only the habits, but also the history, beliefs, and character of the local people.
Because of the vast land and the different believes, Tibetan clothing varies from one district to another. Traditionally, Tibetan clothing consists of a robe and shirt. The Tibetan robe worn by men is broad and is normally fastened under the right arm, while the women are slightly narrower with or without sleeves. The robes often fastened with two cloth belts. The shirts are also fastened on the right. Men typically wear white shirts with high collars, while women wear various colors with turndown collars.
Tibet Clothing in Lhasa
The weather in Lhasa is warmer and damper still.
Farmers in Lhasa usually wear white collar Tibet wool robe. The neckline, cuff and hem of the robe are matched with red, yellow and blue lace with cross patterns. The robe is slightly longer than a person's height. When wearing it, the robe is shortened by a rope and tied to the waist, so that the robe is just above the knee. In this way, a pocket around the waist is created for everyday use. This robe can be used as a quilt at night when going out.
Lhasa's urban residents clothing is different between the clothes of and those of the peasants, especially the clothing of women. In summer, women in Lhasa wear long sleeveless dresses with different colors and fabrics from herdsmen and farmers. The people of Lhasa like to use the fabrics such as satin and serge of better quality to make Tibetan clothing. They prefer to chooses plain, quietly elegant color. This is the opposite of the bright red and green colors favored by farmers and herdsmen.
In recent years, more and more urban residents wear suits and shoes, and even farmers in the suburbs of Lhasa wear fewer and fewer traditional Tibetan clothes. Mixed wearing of Han, Tibetan and suit is common.
Tibet Clothing in Northern Tibet - Mountain Pastures
The weather in northern Tibet, where herdsmen lead a nomadic life in natural mountain pastures, is bitterly cold. As there is a huge disparity between day and night time temperatures, local herdsmen wear a furred robe all year round, which doubles as a quilt at night. In daytime, people wear their left sleeve only, or sometimes wear neither, and tying the two sleeves at the waist. Today, the fashion of wearing only the left sleeve, while exposing the right shoulder, is immediately recognizable as Tibetan dress style.
The Tibetan furred robe is very bulky and said to have enough room to accommodate a five or six-year old child in winter. It has no pockets, but being fastened at the waist there is plenty of room around the ribcage to carry daily necessities.
Clothes worn by herdsmen in pasture areas are distinctive for their decorative welts. They are also hemmed in black velveteen, corduroy, or woolen cloth at the front and lower edges, and cuffs, and the women wear aprons decorated with colorful cloth stripes. The vista of herdsmen, roaming about under the blue sky, white clouds, green grass, snowy mountains, among their sheep and cattle, is a sight more beautiful than any landscape painting.
Tibet Clothing in Southern Tibet--Farmers
Tibetan farmers, who live in the warm and damp climate of southern Tibet, make their clothes from tweed, a kind of hand-woven woolen cloth. Both men and women wear their clothes buttoned to the right. Men's clothes are hemmed in colorful cloth or with silk at the collar, cuffs, front, and lower edges. Other than during the cold winter, women's outerwear is sleeveless. The length of a Tibetan robe generally exceeds the wearer's height, and when worn, the waist is lifted and fastened with a belt.
Tibet Clothing in Western Tibet--Peacock Clothing
Lamb skin robe is popular in western Tibet. The main fabric of the lamb skin robe is woolen, with otter skin on the collar, sleeve and front, and satin on the outside, which is quite special in the whole Tibetan area.
However, the most exquisite and unique feature of the clothing in western Tibet is the "peacock" costume of women, which is closely related to the beautiful name of the Konqi Rive river.
The source of Konqi river is like a peacock, it is a symbol of beauty and auspiciousness. In order to make the peacock-like beauty and auspiciousness live on this land forever, the decoration of women imitated the peacock and has been handed down to today.
The hat which women wear is called "Ding Ma". It is a kind of cylinder cap which is made of Tibet wool threat in brown and blue color. Women's earrings are strung with coral and pearls and are about 15 cm long. Women often tie an apron which is made of white and smooth goat skin. In the middle of the apron, a circular pattern of brown blue Tibet wool is inlaid.
In a word, due to the differences in natural conditions and production methods, the Tibetan costumes are rich, colorful and countless with many differences from others.In some areas, there are big differences between counties, townships and townships. At present, more than 200 types of Tibetan clothing have been found, ranking first among China's ethnic minorities.
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